Compare towns
Dedham vs Mansfield vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dedham | Mansfield | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
23,931 |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.4±1.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Mansfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$125,273±$15k 55% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kLowest 36% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$603,500±$28k 81% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,803±$147 28% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$7,226 132% above U.S. |
$6,483Lowest 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dedham | Mansfield | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Mansfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.